In a campus-wide effort to reduce energy and water consumption, the University of Chicago recently replaced over 220 washer/dryer units throughout residence halls and staff apartments with high efficiency machines. New machines were required to meet efficiency standards set by ENERGY STAR®. This is key because an ENERGY STAR certified appliance meets strict energy efficient criteria set by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Department of Energy to conserve energy and water and help protect the environment. Crystal Szewczyk, Associate Director of Operations–Housing & Residence Life, added “Members of our residential community are continually looking for ways to help reduce their impact on the environment. Having ENERGY STAR machines in our laundry rooms provides an opportunity to effortlessly reduce greenhouse emissions and water use with each load of laundry.” Certified dryers use less energy to dry clothes, while washers provide efficient use of energy and water. As shown in Renee Granville-Grossman Residential Commons, the ENERGY STAR logo is prominently displayed on the appliance control panel.

Water is a critical resource in the operation of the University, contributing to uses such as cooking, personal hygiene, laboratory research, and cooling systems heat rejection. However, water is becoming an increasingly scarce resource across the globe, and the University of Chicago is actively pursuing ways to use water more efficiently. By reducing water consumption, we can save energy while also reducing negative impacts on the watershed and water infrastructure. To reduce its environmental impact and improve sustainability, the University of Chicago plans to reduce potable water consumption by 15%. Based on the list of potential projects identified by Facilities Services, Residence Halls have the potential to reduce over six million gallons of water per year, an 18% reduction from 2017 levels.

The University of Chicago is a proud United States Environmental Protection Agency ENERGY STAR® Partner, collaborating with peer institutions to reduce higher education campus energy and water usage. The goal of this energy efficiency program is to: (1) reduce the impact on the environment as about 70 percent of University greenhouse gas emissions are from energy usage in campus buildings; (2) redirect funds currently going to utility providers back into the maintenance of our campus buildings; and (3) reduce the risk of disruption to our educational and research mission by locating and correcting issues before systems and components in our buildings fail. More than 300 energy efficiency measures have been completed in the University of Chicago campus buildings since 2009, and buildings will continue to be a primary target of our efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and water use.